School is in Session: GT Academy Winner Steve Doherty to Drive the #34 Skullcandy Team Nissan

KANSAS CITY, Kan. – 2012 GT Academy Winner Steve Doherty joins the Skullcandy Nissan Altima team and Patricio Jourdain in the #34 car for the SFP Grand Prix in Kansas City, Kansas this weekend. Doherty won the second NISSAN GT Academy US competition in 2012, beating out an intensely competitive field of more than 400,000 online gamers and the final 16 on track in NISSAN's popular reality TV series.

The 30 year-old Doherty, a mechanic by trade, has always had a love of cars and started racing at a young age on ovals in a front-wheel drive car in his hometown of Plainfield, IL. He discovered a passion for road racing while playing Grand Turismo and barely missed making the first round of NISSAN's GT Academy in 2011. He came back with a vengeance the next year to win after a year of practicing every day, and accomplished his goal of taking home the red helmet.

Jump forward to 2013, where Steve has seen his dream come true by winning the reality competition and undergoing a three-month driver development program beginning last September. Doherty has now represented Nissan on three continents, taking part in endurance races in the Nissan 370Z GT4 and NISMO GT-R GT3, including the 24 Hours of Dubai and the Blancpain Endurance Series in Europe. His first professional race on home soil came recently at the Mid Ohio Sports Car Course in the Pirelli World Challenge Series, where he won the hard charger award behind the wheel of a NISMO 370Z.

"I've been a fan of Grand-am for many years, so I'm excited to be here this weekend and back in a front-wheel drive car. Thanks to NISSAN and the Skullcandy Team for inviting me to Kansas." driver Steve Doherty

"Steve has done a lot of challenging racing, aside from his gaming, and I know that has given him an excellent preparation for the highly-competitive Continental Tire Sports Car Challenge racing,” said team owner Lara Tallman. “I think he's a great co-driver fit for Patricio Jourdain, who proved himself at Road America by taking the #34 car to second before handing it over in excellent condition to his co-driver. We’re very excited to again have a strong team to represent NISSAN, Skullcandy, Stance, RageTank and our newest partner K1 Speed.”

The latest GT Academy online competition, with more than 400,000 virtual racers has concluded, and the national finals competition will be held August 24 in New York City. Season 3 will air on SPIKE TV in November.